Putt with Flag stick in

Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Location
San Francisco
Local club/country
NY
Irons
3-PW
Driver
m3
#1
New rule to speed up play. What if 2 guys in your 4 some want to putt with the flag stick out and the other two want it in. Wouldn’t this slow down play more with the flag stick being puting back and taking out? And watch out for stepping on putting lines when replacing the flag! By doing this... someone must hold the flag all the time (can’t really place it on the ground cuz you will need to pick it up again...twice). Also, what if I want to putt with the flag in on my second down hill putt... “can I have the flag in please?”. I know this can be rectify if we “all get along”. But can you see the potential for slowing down play?
 

Brattz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Location
Derby, Derbyshire
HCP
Pro
Local club/country
Derby Golf Centre
Irons
Mizuno JPX 919 Tour (4-PW) - Project X LZ 6.5 120g - 0.5° Flat - 1/2"+
Driver
Titleist TS3 - HC Project X LZ17 6.5 60g, 9.5°, A1 - 11g
#2
It is much easier in practice than being thought about. I’ve now played in over a dozen competitions since the change and can honestly say it has sped up the putting side by a minimal amount. It has however I think made putting easier
 

PaulBoy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
HCP
WHS 7.0
Local club/country
Army GC
Irons
Mizuno Pro 223 (4-AW) Modus3 120s
Driver
Titleist TSi2 Graphite Design Tour AD XC-50s
#3
I've not encountered the problems of the original post - In the different formats I have played (usually in threes or fours) most people leave the flag in all the time, with just a few who prefer it out for short putts - Like Brattz I haven't found a big gain in time saved, but it hasn't made things any slower - I find it easier to see the line with the flag in & it makes the downhill slick putts a bit less scary imho ...
Paul
 

DennisMiller

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Location
Miami, Florida
HCP
Old Age
Local club/country
Killian Greens Golf Club
Irons
MX-1000
Driver
ST-180
#4
My usual Monday group hasn't seen anything to indicate leaving the stick in helps us make more putts. The fact is, at our level, not that many putts race over the hole anyway.

I do feel odd with it in the hole when I'm trying to make a short putt. When I see the flag out of the corner of my eye, I don't feel right.
 
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Ollie4ISU

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2019
HCP
12
Local club/country
Waveland/United State
Irons
Mizuno 919 Hot Metal 4-GW
Driver
Cleveland 9.5 miyazaki 59s
#5
I have terrible depth perception due to a lazy eye that defies correction. Much like GPS has improved my iron and fairway wood game, leaving the flag in outside of about 12 feet has vastly improved my lag putting. The game is so much better for me when I actually know how far away the target lies.
 

Halebopp

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
HCP
10.6
Local club/country
Lakeside Golf Vammala, Finland
Irons
MP-H5/53/4
Driver
MP-650/ST180
#6
I ran into some mental problems with the flagstick in today. My game started to come together after the winter break and on an uphill putt on the 12th green, the flagstick bothered me. I decided I wouldn't care and ask it to be pulled but I couldn't get it out of my mind and missed a very makeable putt because my mind was on the flagstick. After that it bothered me on pretty much every putt. Then on the 18th the flagstick bounced out a putt that would've probably dropped without it.

Until now the rounds have been more about getting back into the game and the flag has been in/out rather randomly. But as soon as things started to look more serious, the stick in the hole just seemed like a distraction.
 
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